Chirapsia
by emmish
Summary: Massage (noun) - The rubbing and kneading of muscles and joints of the body with the hands, especially to relieve tension or pain. Promptis.
1. Chapter 1

_Set at an unspecified point in the game before any…unpleasantness happens. You know what I mean ;) XD No spoilers. Rating will increase in later chapters._

 _My first Final Fantasy fic :3 Oh, and for the record, Noctis is my sleep hero. Naps for the win! XD_

 _Love this game. Love this fandom. Love Promptis. Let's see how this goes! XP_

* * *

Noctis probed his fingertip into the corner of his right eye as subtly as he could. Between his wayward dark fringe and the setting sun's piercing hot rays, his eyes were watering, blurring his keen vision.

He managed to knuckle away the dampness and squint out across the bay of Galdin Quay, where a swollen sun was sinking into calm waves, the sky a mess of burnt oranges and pinks. Adjusting himself where he perched atop the Regalia's hood, he breathed deep of the briny evening air and picked idly at the newly-applied decal on the bonnet. _He_ thought the flames looked cool. Ignis had scowled and declared them 'unforgivably tasteless.' Still, he had been outvoted, and the bright, fiery motif had been applied liberally to Noct's pride and joy.

The Prince stifled a yawn, and rested his chin upon his palm, gazing out at the hypnotising swell of the sea. They had completed a couple of arduous but well-paying hunts today. Whilst he was pretty psyched that they had some spending money, for the moment he felt like the perfect culmination to the evening would just be to sleep.

He managed all of about three minutes of shut-eye when he was rudely nudged in the bicep, the force nearly overbalancing him onto the sun-warmed tarmac of the car park.

Staggering to stop himself falling, he winced at Prompto, who had given him a fond punch to get his attention and was now fidgeting energetically on the hood beside him, a dazzling grin on his face.

"Noct! You're such an old man. C'mon, we have to go sight-see, no naps for you."

"Ugh," Noctis responded eloquently, taking a deep breath of cool, salty air and rubbing his eyes, managing to force himself onto his feet and something approaching wakefulness. He peered through his long hair at Ignis and Gladio, who appeared to be interrogating the arms seller nearby about his wares, their arms crossed and expressions intense as they pointed and nodded variously at the weapons in the back of the truck.

"We're finally here! _C'mon_ , let's go explore," Prompto was urging him excitably, pulling on his arm. "Guys! We're gonna check out the beach!" He yelled at the older members of the team.

Ignis looked round, adjusting his glasses with one gloved hand. "Don't stray too far."

Gladio turned too, grinning fiendishly. "Behave, you two."

"Yeah, yeah," Noct waved noncommittally, whilst Prompto bounced ahead, pointing to the tiny pier on the beach.

"Wanna fish? It's been…at least an hour since you last caught something," the blond teased, cackling.

Noctis let it slide, though he did eye the spot for later consideration. "Hm…actually, I'm kinda hungry."

"Well, if you're not sleeping or fishing, you're eating. I had a one in three chance," Prompto grinned, scuffing his way along the beach and pulling out his camera, adjusting dials and buttons to accommodate the lowering light.

"Hey, what is this, 'Bully the Prince Day?' You're a terrible friend," Noct smiled, closing his eyes in pleasure as a rogue breeze gusted in his face, bringing a few tingling specks of sand with it. He was halted by a sudden insistent call from Prompto, who beckoned him into position near the main pier and then darted about to try and get a good angle.

"Do a pose. Like, try and look hot."

"I _always_ look hot," Noctis shrugged coolly, running a hand through his hair, indulging his best friend.

"Ah, yeah, hold it! That's awesome. Hang on, just one more…"

* * *

Thirty-one photos and a slight detour later, the pair of them finally entered the stunning building at the end of the pier, the sun had finally set in a bruise-purple sky, and the temperature had agreeably dropped, cool enough to birth goosebumps and little shivers every now and then. They had passed Ignis and Gladio perusing the ingredients and medicines at the quaint little stall on the pier, and naturally, the other two men had been roped into posing for a couple of snapshots.

"It's _so_ pretty," Prompto cooed, looking about himself in awe.

Noct nodded and hummed in agreement, taking in the sumptuous atmosphere, the tinkling of glassware and crockery, the cosy ambient lightning, the modern and clean décor. Mumbles of collective speech and laughter from the patrons was a soothing soundtrack, as was the eternal swish and groan of the ocean beneath them.

"And they have _real_ beds in _real_ rooms. Score!" Prompto chuckled, holding up his camera again for a few rapid shots.

"And we can actually afford it," Noctis mused laconically.

"Yup, we're loaded! Let's order the most expensive thing on the menu."

"…You know it won't be fries, right?" the Prince teased.

"Oh please, Mr. Veggie-phobic. You're in no position to make fun."

"…Point taken," Noct rubbed at the throb in the base of his neck that had been quietly pestering him since the hunt, attempting to squeeze out the stiffness in his spine, to no avail. The sea breezes weren't helping much. "After you, civilian."

Prompto giggled and gave him an affectionate shove, proceeding to lead the way.

* * *

Not long later, they were tucking into seafood risotto, Prompto nodding enthusiastically and making the most obscene noises of satisfaction around mouthfuls of rice and clams.

"S'amazing. Ignis is gonna flip when he tastes this. Hope he can copy it."

"He can copy anything," Noctis pointed out with a grin. "Well…nearly," he added, thinking wistfully of those unattainable cream cakes from his youth.

The blond cheerfully gazed around the restaurant, which bordered the rooms for rent. The entire scene was beyond luxurious to him.

"Like what you see?" Noctis asked him, surprised he hadn't already fished his camera back out for more opportunistic photo-taking.

"Definitely," Prompto nodded hard, starting to point at the far end of the building. "Let's go check out that side afterwards. I bet there's a fantastic view!"

Noctis grinned warmly, his friend's eagerness as endearing and contagious as always.

The Prince and Prompto were making their way to the back of the restaurant, full and happy, when Noctis paused, gesturing.

"…They have beds outside. That's weird. Why would you want to sleep in front of everyone?"

Prompto narrowed his eyes in the right direction, and then chuckled helplessly. "Noct, seriously? That's for massage. Look," he offered, drawing the other man's attention to a posh-looking poster on a nearby wall.

"Massage?"

"Yeah. You must have had one before? After all your training sessions, didn't you have armies of pretty palace ladies to rub you down afterwards?" Prompto laughed.

Noct shrugged. "Dr. Neros would give me the once-over if I was actually injured. But he was most definitely not a pretty lady," he grinned, blushing faintly.

"Oh man, you have to go try it. Go on, it'll be fun."

"Me? Why not you?" Noctis spluttered.

"I'm the photographer. It's my job to record it for posterity," Prompto assured him solemnly, but with a sparkle in his eyes.

"I…"

"Yeah, you'll do it. I'll be your moral support!" Prompto beamed, giving his cheesiest grin.

"I…"

"Fantastic. I'll tell him to prepare the royal bed." The blond laughed, trotting off towards the well-appointed row of sleek massage beds, low-lit and admittedly looking very comfortable. Prompto was already turning his camera back on. Noctis didn't know why he ever bothered turning it off.

Gnawing briefly on the knuckle of his thumb, Noctis grudgingly followed his friend, murmuring to himself.

"Crap."


	2. Chapter 2

Noctis warily approached the male masseuse, who had already been engaged in chitchat and curious queries by Prompto. Glancing down at the bed, he chewed his lip at the idea of leaving himself so exposed at the hands of a stranger, but quickly shook the thought away, reminding himself that Prompto's _job_ was to protect him, after all. Even from potential massage therapists/assassins. Years of instruction had taught him to first and foremost weigh up the threats in _any_ given situation, no matter how unlikely or trivial they may seem.

The masseuse had managed to extricate himself from Prompto's incessant ramblings, and politely gestured to Noctis to lay down.

"Uh…I don't have to…get undressed do I?" The Prince asked, scowling when his nervous question was met with a scoff of laughter from his friend.

"No no, we prefer you to remain clothed," the man nodded. "Is there any particular area you'd like me to work on, or would you just like me to give you a general massage?"

Noct's pale face was flaming, and his arms were crossed as he tried to decide whether to stall, run, or get it over with as quickly as possible.

"…Uh…general, I guess? My back kinda hurts though."

Over the masseuse's shoulder, Noctis saw Prompto raise an eyebrow, looking surprised, and also somehow peeved that he had not been privy to this information.

"Very well. Please, lay down and get comfortable. It's best to fold your arms under your head, and turn your head to one side. Breathe slowly and deeply, and try and relax completely."

Noctis stared at the bed, a sharp breeze carried in from the undulating dark sea giving him cause to shiver reactively. After a tense few seconds, he finally nodded and acquiesced, clambering onto the bed and feeling supremely inelegant as he struggled to arrange all his limbs in the right places. Once he was laying down, he felt about as far from comfortable as it was possible to be without actually having an Anak standing on you.

"Looking _good_ ," he heard Prompto drawl playfully somewhere behind him, and rolled his eyes, though he was irrationally grateful for the reminder that he was still nearby.

He choked out a strangled noise of shock as two heavy hands alighted without warning upon his lower back, above his kidneys. Squirming, he fought not to panic.

"My apologies, sir. I'll continue?"

Without waiting for a reply, the unseen masseuse began to push down with his palms, either side of his spine, and smoothing out towards his sides.

"No, no no, sorry, I can't do this," Noctis muttered frantically, stumbling off of the bed and scratching distractedly at his torso before striding away, making a bee-line for the lonely dark jetty at the back of the building.

"Noct? Wait!" Prompto was yelling behind him, and soon the tell-tale sound of his heavy boots were catching up to him.

The Prince marched to the end of the shadowy jetty, quickly lowering himself to sit on the damp edge and folding his arms defensively as he stared out across crystal-clear ocean. It was a matter of seconds before his friend plonked down at his side, legs hanging over the water and swinging nervously.

"Did he…hurt you? Sorry, I shouldn't have forced you…" Prompto apologised anxiously, resting one hand tenderly upon Noct's shoulder.

Noctis glanced sidelong at his distressed companion. "It didn't hurt, it's okay…it's just…" He stared intently at the easily-visible fish just yards from them, and wondered how to word his response. "…I'm not used to people touching me. I don't…know how I feel about it."

Prompto's mouth fell open, and he quickly withdrew his hand. "Sorry, I didn't know!"

Noctis grinned. "I like it. I mean, I like _you_." His eyes widened and he groaned, placing both hands over his face in embarrassment. "I _mean_ , I _trust_ you," he mumbled through his palms.

"…Or maybe even all three," Prompto replied awkwardly, with a small chuckle.

"Maybe," Noctis shrugged playfully, uncovering his face and taking a breath of cold, ocean-tasting air, sighing it out slowly.

"I didn't know. I mean, I'm always touching you!"

"Like I said…I find it hard to trust people. Strangers especially, for obvious reasons. People have always been…distant with me, physically. My parents weren't cuddly, and no siblings to play around with. And the people who dressed me or nursed me or whatever didn't do it out of kindness. It was their job. I was just a kid they were paid to look after. And then, at school…"

Prompto nodded, and tried to remember the last time he had heard Noctis talk so intimately or extensively. He rarely opened up about his personal feelings. Prompto hoped he would continue.

Noctis did, after a slight pause. "At school I was alone for…a long time. And then it was you. And that's it," he huffed, smiling crookedly.

"I feel like I must've, like, psychologically scarred you or something," Prompto said, only half-joking.

"Nah, it was nice."

The blonde wondered if the Prince's unusual eloquence was all used up for the time being.

"Well, that's…good, then."

"Mm."

They sat in companionable silence for a long while, just enjoying the soothing ebb and flow of lagoon-blue water, and the cloudless cascade of stars overhead.

"Why can't I just stay here and be a fisherman?" Noctis asked airily, finally laying back upon the damp decking of the jetty and closing his eyes, listening to the sea.

Prompto grinned and then followed suit, hugging his bare arms to himself, which were goose-pimpled with the nocturnal chill. He stared up at the sky happily, speaking aloud to it.

"Cos they have to get up at like, 4am. You'd never survive."

"…Oh. That sucks."

"Yeah. You'll just have to stay a Prince."

"Ugh."

They turned their heads on the hard planking to look at each other, and both disintegrated into snuffling laughter.


	3. Chapter 3

"Wonder if that guy's gonna get fired now. For, like, molesting a member of the royal family," Prompto mused, kicking his legs distractedly.

"Don't say that," Noctis muttered, glancing back at the restaurant as if expecting to see the poor man being frogmarched away in handcuffs.

Prompto snickered, and sat back up, rubbing his bare arms. "So…Never been touched, eh?" he winked.

"…Dude, I wasn't asking you to make fun of me," the Prince frowned.

"I'm not! I'm not," Prompto relented, smiling peaceably. "But we never talk about stuff like that."

"Stuff like what?"

"Like…girl stuff."

Noctis groaned melodramatically. "Probably because I've had better things to do with my time."

"Like what? Sleep?" The blond teased.

"You are the worst. Seriously," Noctis sighed, hauling himself onto his feet and brushing himself down out of habit.

"Sorry. But, hey…if you still need a massage, I'm your man," Prompto assured him, standing up and giving himself a confident double thumbs-up.

"…You know how to give a massage?" Noctis asked curiously.

"Well...not exactly, but…how hard could it be?" Prompto shrugged.

The Prince considered this, and agreed. "Fair point. But if you screw up and hurt me, I'll get Gladio to beat you up."

"He'd have to catch me first!"

They both wandered amiably back down the shadowed jetty, pausing now and then for Noctis to enthusiastically point out different fish species in the bright, crystal-clear waters, and for Prompto to snap photos.

They were mid-banter when another voice, tinny and muffled, sounded out in the cool night air.

" _~I've come up with a new recipe!~"_

Noctis had had the recording set as Ignis' text alert for over a week, but it still caused both of them to collapse into giggles now, Noctis wiping his eyes of mirth as he searched for his mobile.

"Man, that never gets old," Prompto nodded sagely, as Noct read the fresh message.

"They're eating, told us to book the room," the Prince enlightened his friend. "Let's go. And keep clear of that massage guy."

"No problem. I'll protect you," the blond declared, before giving Noctis a sharp, playful smack on the backside.

Blushing and grinning, Noctis mumbled back, "That's what I'm worried about."

* * *

"I think Iggy will kill us for getting two rooms," Prompto fretted, glancing behind him and waving at the two men who were eating in a secluded corner. They both waved back cursorily, mouths full.

"We can afford it. And I sure as hell don't want them knowing you're giving me a massage," Noctis shrugged, taking the two sets of keys from the server. From their own bunch, he detached one for Prompto and pocketed one for himself.

"Nope, they'll think we're up to a whole lot worse," Prompto murmured, biting his lip.

"…Forget it. It'll be good to have more room and less snoring."

"I guess."

"Go and deliver these. I'm gonna go shower," Noctis instructed, pushing the second set of keys into the blond's hand and wandering off through the large door that led to the exclusive hotel rooms.

Prompto sheepishly approached Gladio and Ignis, dropping the keys onto the table.

"Uh…Noct got two rooms, so…we've all got more space for once," he offered.

"I see," Ignis observed drily. "Has he adequately scouted the location for escape routes and possible infiltration avenues?"

"He, uh, said he didn't think anyone could get in except maybe through the windows after coming by speedboat. And that's not very likely," Prompto recalled.

Gladio chuckled. "He's learning."

"Make sure you take all the necessary precautions," Ignis warned him.

Prompto started to panic, and flustered indignantly. "We're not having sex! We don't need…precautions!"

Ignis raised one fine eyebrow in honest surprise, and then smirked. "…I meant the door locks, windows latches… _Those_ sorts of precautions."

"Oh, well…yeah," the blond sighed, deflating nervously and scuffing his feet.

"Go on, go protect your Prince. Sleep well," Gladio offered with a lewd wink.

Blushing hard enough to obliterate his fair freckles, Prompto nodded and ran off wordlessly, leaving Ignis to chuckle good-naturedly and berate the shield-bearer.

* * *

Prompto let himself into the lush hotel room, almost distracted enough by his own worrying to forget to admire the surroundings. He was wandering around, testing out lamps, feeling the bedcovers, and checking out the view, when Noct emerged in a fluffy white bathrobe from the en-suite, roughly drying his hair with a small towel, the soaked black mess soon spiking up into wild damp tufts.

"Hey."

"Hey," the blond replied, giving a feeble wave. "I thought…it'd be just one bed," he shrugged, gesturing at the two singles in the room.

"…You sound disappointed," Noct smirked, sitting on his own bed nearest the window and sighing luxuriantly.

"No, but…I dunno, just used to sharing by now," Prompto laughed sweetly.

"Make the most of it, it'll probably be four of us in a tent again tomorrow," Noct grinned.

"I don't think I'll ever get used to this," Prompto shrugged, kicking off his boots and going to open one of the large windows enough to get a salty draught of cool sea air, brightening his lungs and misting his face.

"Used to what?" The Prince asked, getting up long enough to turn off the bright main light, and turning on a single bedside lamp, sighing happily at the newfound gloom. Outisde, the cloud-free sky was a purplish black, spattered with myriads of fine white stars.

"Booking hotel rooms for a bunch of guys to share."

"Well, I guess real men aren't as insecure as you," Noctis laughed, retrieving his phone and charger and setting it up to replenish battery for the night.

"Says the virgin," Prompto laughed with a teasing grin, though he clapped his hand to his mouth. He felt like an idiot as soon as he saw Noct's face fall into a doleful amalgam of hurt and irritation.

"I didn't mean that, dude, I…I mean, I haven't done it either, you know? Just messing around and stuff but not the whole way, so technically…" he trailed off slightly pathetically. "I'm really sorry."

Noct took a deep, quiet breath, and nodded with finality. "Fine. But I don't want to talk about… _that_ any more. Please."

"…Are we still buddies?" Prompto asked hopefully.

"Yeah. But you are walking a fine line today, Prom," Noct warned him tiredly.

"I know…I always mess up and say dumb stuff. I'm not trying to make you upset, seriously. You know I wouldn't do that."

"I know. Maybe, like…think before you speak. Just sometimes," Noct smiled wearily.

"Will do," the blond nodded devotedly.

"…So," Noct asked, stifling a yawn in the newly low-lit hotel room, the corners doused in thick shadows and the ornate bedside lamp barely a comforting glow in the gloom. "Do I get this massage or what?"

"What? Oh, yeah!" Prompto perked up. "Right, get ready for my magic hands," he drawled, winking. "Sit there and relax. And don't fall asleep!"

"No promises," Noctis chuckled, sitting on his bed cross-legged, facing the huge windows that gave a vista of the open sea and empty sky. The low light of the room meant that there were few reflections on the spotless glass to hamper the view.

The Prince heard Prompto crack his knuckles and get onto the bed behind him, arranging his legs slightly clumsily and making the mattress bounce. He pulled off his fluffy robe, letting it pool around his bare waist, ensuring it effectively covered his lap, where he was clad only in dark underwear.

"Bring it on."


	4. Chapter 4

_For the purposes of this fic, I'm assuming Prom had laser eye surgery at some point, negating the need for endless faffing with contact lenses. XD_

* * *

Faced with the sudden, eye-widening expanse of Noct's pale back, warmed slightly by the faint yellow glow of the single light source, it occurred to Prompto how little skin-to-skin contact they had ever had, in spite of his own tactile nature. Even when they high-fived, there was usually at least one pair of leather gloves in the way.

"You have really good skin," Prompto blurted out.

Noctis burst out with a brief, musical laugh. "You're so weird."

"Hey, you gotta be nice to me. Or I'll work you so hard you won't be able to walk straight tomorrow."

As the innuendo of his words rapidly became apparent, the atmosphere tensed and tingled as both men cleared their throats awkwardly, saying nothing.

"…That…kinda came out wrong," the blond admitted after an agonising few moments, laughing uncomfortably.

"…A bit, yeah. So, I guess…you can start now?" Noct scratched subtly at his own cheekbone, hoping Prompto wouldn't notice (or at least, draw attention to) the hot blush he felt beginning to stoke under his skin.

"Right," Prompto nodded, scrunching his fingers against his palms to flex them, and then sweeping the long damp hair at the back of Noctis' neck to one side.

"Don't wanna snag it," he said by way of explanation.

"Hey, you're the professional here," Noct teased, sitting quite calmly, eyes ahead and face still burning, seemingly impossible to quench at this juncture.

"Right, starting now. If it feels…weird, or bad, or…whatever, just holler and I'll stop."

"'Kay."

Prompto rested his slightly-calloused hands on top of Noct's broad shoulders, and just let their natural weight form the pressure upon the muscles there. With a few experimental squeezes of his palms, and gentle prods of his thumbs, he tested the muscles.

"Gee, you are really tight," he observed, wincing as he imagined the ache within them. "How long's it been hurting?"

"…A while. It was worse today after the hunts." Noct mumbled vaguely. "Didn't want to waste a potion on it."

"…Right, let me just…"

The Prince heard and felt him shift on the bed, the mattress dipping again, and one of Prom's joints clicking loudly. He was just imagining his friend's face, probably contorted in concentration and with his tongue sticking out, when two strong thumbs smoothed up and across the gritty knots in his trapezius muscles.

"Ugh… _shit_!" Noct exclaimed, his head dropping back as he hissed in air through clenched teeth. Before the startled blond could start apologising, Noctis laughed throatily, and brought his head forward again with a deep sigh. "…Feels amazing."

"Oh…Phew! Thought I'd busted something," Prompto giggled in relief, replacing his thumbs and repeating the move, kneading the solid muscles between his digits, becoming quite invested and interested in the massage, already feeling quite proud of himself.

Noct swallowed loudly, and groaned to himself, his head hanging low and Prompto pushed a little deeper, and extended the area of his labours, rolling over the bumps of the Prince's shoulders, and back to his neck, gently digging into pale flesh to work out the deep-seated stiffness.

"… _Prom_ …ugh…mmh," Noct was murmuring quietly, eyes blissfully closed and lips parted, melting under his administrations. Prompto tried _very_ hard not to pay attention to the soft, gut-wrenching moans of his friend, who clearly hadn't been kidding when he said he wasn't used to being touched. For ten minutes, he pushed his fingers across ribs, around slim shoulderblades, always coming back to thumb and probe at his neck muscles. He had initially prayed that Noct would _shut up_ and quit making sounds like he was jerking off, but that had been futile, the Prince had continued to swoon and sigh under his ministrations.

"Nh…harder," Noctis finally seethed, practically swaying on the bed. Prom could almost believe he was in some kind of massage-induced trance, especially considering how open and unabashed he'd been the whole time.

Steeling himself, and dredging up a heroic amount of fortitude, Prompto shuffled back, holding his palms flat against Noct's back in case his friend physically tried to force himself backwards into further massage.

"Actually, I think I'm done," Prompto informed the back of his friend's drooping head as brightly and unassumingly as he could.

"…Hm? No, carry on, that was great. 'mazing," Noct repeated, finally turning his head and fixing sleepy indigo eyes upon the photographer, looking almost drunk.

"That's all I know!" Prompto shrugged, backing off of the bed with only a slight wobble and guiding the boneless Prince to lay on the mattress, facing away from him. He pulled the downy-soft robe back up, covering Noct with it like a particularly plush bedcover.

"Just, stay there and breathe and relax, okay? And sleep, that's what you need," Prompto babbled hastily. "Close your eyes and just totally chill."

Prompto's instructions seemed to be getting further away, until Noctis heard him turn, stumble, catch himself, and then almost sprint into the en-suite, closing the door and locking it with some force.

Blissed-out, pain-free, and happier than he had felt in a long time, the Prince just mumbled faintly to himself before curling up in his bathrobe, closing his tired eyes, and getting ready to succumb to sleep. Before his hazy thoughts melted into dreams, he allowed himself a few exploratory, lazy pumps of the erection he'd sustained (and luckily been able to keep hidden) during the massage. Very soon though, lethargy overcame lust, he slipped his hand out of his underwear, and fell deeply asleep.

* * *

Prompto had convinced himself whilst in the shower stall, masturbating frantically, that firstly, his trip to the bathroom _wasn't_ suspicious, because he hadn't showered since yesterday. And secondly, Noct was bound to be spark-out when he returned, so he wouldn't be questioned anyway.

It had taken him no time at all, in his urgency, to slam and lock the door, rip back the shower curtain, turn on the water and strip. By the time he finally got his hands on himself, he was primed to explode, and despite not using any of his usual tricks to get himself off quickly, he found himself gasping and trembling on the precipice of orgasm within twenty seconds. One hand on the cool tiling of the wall, supporting his quivering weight, he sank his teeth into his bottom lip, sobbing.

Wasting no time, he viciously rubbed himself into a dizzying climax, and in the mindless euphoria of it, he was only distantly thankful that the deluge of warm water was drowning out his rough, strangled groans.

Five minutes later, bleary-eyed, empty-headed and weak-kneed, Prompto sneaked back out into the bedroom in his own fluffy robe, having cleaned up both himself and the shower. Still trembling a little, and his lungs feeling just a little wheezy, he flicked off the bedside lamp between their beds with a gratified sigh, pitching the room into a sudden cool darkness. Silver-blue stars danced briefly in front of his eyes.

Sitting heavily on his own bed, which was chilly to the touch and pristinely clean, he eased off his robe and snuggled under the sheets, his own tiredness burning his eyes and mellowing his thoughts.

He lay on his back, one hand on his stomach, which was still twitching faintly from the effort of his orgasm, and soon drifted off, lulled by the purring little noises that emanated from his sleeping roommate.


	5. Chapter 5

Prompto had no idea what time it was when he woke abruptly from an unpleasant and violent dream, and he suffered the briefest of panics at finding himself once again in an unfamiliar bed, in an unfamiliar room. But as his senses quickly connected to his memory, he sighed in realisation of his surroundings.

It was still very dark, and he guessed that he hadn't been asleep long. The light sources from the building on the pier had lessened considerably, and now only a few rogue nightlights illuminated the decks. Scudding, purplish clouds had appeared to cover the bright moon almost completely. The room was cool, soaked in shadows, and smelt sweet and briny.

It was rather belatedly that it occurred to Prompto, with a tingle of anxiety, that he had forgotten to close the large, ocean-facing window. He felt, and Noct had felt, that the risk here was minimal. Nevertheless, _if_ something happened tonight, it would be all his fault, and he knew that he had enough issues with self-doubt already - being instrumental in causing a dangerous situation would probably cause him to have some kind of breakdown.

Stretching his arms and groaning when a few joints popped in the silence, Prompto stood, quite naked, and checked that his Prince was still out for the count before going to the window, taking in one last, hefty lungful of refreshing air and then closing and latching it tight. He ambled back to his bed and laid down, pulling the covers back over his waist, and closed his eyes, mentally trying to force his thoughts into sweeter territory in the vain hope of avoiding more nightmares.

It rarely worked.

He was dwelling, as he often did (and against his will) upon certain embarrassing and upsetting memories that tended to haunt him in the early hours while sleep was postponed and his mind resisted rest. The harder he tried to ignore or forget them, the more insistently they replayed in his head, and he frowned at yet another personal run-through of his lifetime's humiliations.

For a moment, he thought the mutterings were in his head, before it occurred to him that Noctis was apparently talking aloud.

"Sss…mm, 'shoot it."

Prompto grinned warmly, both at the distraction from his maudlin thoughts, and at the honest amusement that he got from the fact that Noctis frequently sleep-talked. As he was often sharing a bed with him, he tended to have a front-row seat, and was usually involved in the conversations, even getting comprehensible answers from the unconscious Prince.

He murmured back loud enough for Noct to hear him, fighting a laugh. "Shoot it?"

"Ymm..in a…adds."

"…Shoot it in the ass?" Prompto attempted to translate, chuckling.

"Mmmm," Noct affirmed slowly, sounding satisfied.

His heart swelling a little with affection, the blond lowered his voice and bit his lip.

"You're adorable."

His only response was a small, snuffling noise and a quiet groan.

* * *

"…Prom?"

Prompto was _very nearly_ asleep an hour later when Noct's quiet entreaty reached his ears, and he groaned instinctively.

"Nnh…what?" he mumbled to the darkness, vaguely irritated at his prolonged wakefulness and stifling a massive yawn.

"Get over here."

Prompto suddenly felt very much more awake. "…Why? You okay?"

"Just…get over here. _In_ here," came the muffled voice.

"…In your bed?" Prom clarified tensely.

"Mm."

Considering this, his heart hammering to get his attention, the blond cleared his throat.

"…It's a tiny bed, dude."

"Don't make me order you."

"Like you could."

There sounded a long sigh in the dark. "Prompto Argentum, I order you to come over here with me. You refuse on pain of exile. And/or death," Noct added after a second.

"'And/or?' You suck at threats, Noct," Prompto chuckled, before tutting extravagantly. "Ugh, fine. Let me put some damn clothes on first."

"…What?"

"I'm butt naked."

"…Oh."

"Face the window, pervert," Prompto demanded playfully, sighing as he rummaged in near-sightless gloom for some underwear. Glancing at the sky, he noted that it was now crowded with thick, pregnant-looking clouds.

"What are you doing awake, anyway," he asked the Prince distractedly as he made himself decent. "You're not due to be up till tomorrow afternoon, sleepyhead."

"Shut up."

"Real mature."

"Idiot."

"Nerd."

"Jerk."

"Loser."

They continued to exchange affectionate insults as Prompto felt his way to Noct's bed, slipping into it and making sure he tutted and complained appropriately.

"It's way too small. We usually share a _double_ , idiot."

"It's fine," Noctis informed him flatly. "…You sleep naked when you're alone?"

"Usually."

"…Wow."

"What?"

"Just…nothing."

"It's not like I have servants walking into my room in the morning to wake me up. I can be as naked as I want."

"Hm."

"...What's this about? Bad dream?" Prompto asked carefully.

"I'm not a kid, I don't need cuddles for nightmares. I was just cold," the Prince mumbled indignantly.

"'Just cold.' That is even _more_ childish," Prompto laughed softly. "Do you need cuddles for warmth _,_ then?" After a silent pause, he heard Noct's dark form huff noncommittally.

"…I don't mind if you do," the blond added.

There was no answer, merely the sudden and disappointing rustle of sheets as Noct turned abruptly to face away from his friend. Feeling a little gutted, Prompto was about to ask whether he should leave, when one cool hand snaked back towards him in the bed.

It bumped into his stomach rather sharply before patting and fumbling further up, until it found his own hand and grabbed it tightly. As Noct rolled slightly more towards the large, dark-sky windows, he pulled Prompto with him, hooking the blond's lean arm around his own torso.

Grinning, Prompto adjusted himself in a loose spoon behind Noctis, grasping his chest firmly with his forearm and wriggling close enough for the Prince's black hair to tickle his nose. Noct's cool hand continued to grip his gently, anchoring him in place.

"…Better?" Prom asked, unable to disguise the smile in his voice, the wet sound of his lips and teeth seeming manifestly loud in the gloom.

"Yeah," Noct replied softly, giving his hand a brief squeeze. Prompto would have believed how calm and careless the action felt, if it wasn't for the thundering, almost audible heartbeat that he could feel through the Prince's slim ribcage, vibrating fearfully against his own chest.

"…This is new," Prompto whispered, his lips millimetres away from damp, citrusy-smelling black hair.

"Mm," came the strained reply.

"You sure this is fine? You're not having a panic attack?" Prompto asked fondly, his warm exhale of laughter condensing upon Noct's scalp.

"…You gonna talk all night?" the Prince grumbled, but there was a smile in his voice.

"You gonna shut me up?" Prompto teased back. The following terse stillness was enough for him to wish he'd kept his mouth shut, as was the frantic, heightening pulse that he could feel in his friend's palm.

"…Prom…"

"Sorry. I didn't mean…anything like…you know...kissing. Forget it," Prompto said quickly, hoping to placate him. He could fairly feel the roots of his freckles scorching with blushes, and he was starting to feel unseasonably hot. "I should…not talk when we're like this."

"Like what?" Noctis asked quietly, not sounding interrogative, or aggressive, more…curious.

"In a…well…'suggestive'…thingy," the blond mumbled, trailing off weakly.

"…I like this," the Prince admitted, barely audibly.

"Me too. Cosy," Prompto chuckled, but it came out as awkward and strangled as it felt.

"…We do wake up like this sometimes," Noctis mused.

"Yeah, but that's an accident, it happens when we're asleep. This is kind of…intentional."

"You're not bothered?"

"Not…exactly," Prompto replied, and then winced and mentally kicked himself.

"What does that mean?" Noct's voice sounded extremely strained.

The blond sighed, swallowing thickly. Closing his eyes briefly, and seeing the same darkness as that of the room, he bit the bullet and snuggled forward as close as he dared to his friend.

"I don't mean it like that. It's…hard to explain," he muttered into soft, still-damp hair, nuzzling impulsively into the back of Noct's head.

"You're telling _me_?" Noct snorted, his hand tightening once more upon Prom's, insistently kneading his own fingerprints into his friend's.

"…You're sure this is okay? With me touching you and everything?"

"I like this," Noctis repeated simply, his urgent heartrate finally beginning to calm down, his grip loosening slightly. Prompto could almost hear the squeak of his joints as he unlocked limbs that seemed to have frozen in anxiety some minutes ago.

"I'm glad it's me. And not…Gladio or someone," Prompto chuckled faintly.

"It's always you. Idiot."

"Jerk."

"Weirdo."

"Pervert."

"Pleb."

They both snuffled with laughter, easing their muscles and minds, and sinking comfortably against one another.

"Night Noc."

"Night Prom."

* * *

It was sometime before dawn, with gulls keening outside over a grey-blue ocean, that Prompto was awakened again. They were still in the same position, loosely spooning, Noct in front of him, and everything in the hazy room seemed colourless. The blond felt his sleep-numb hand being eased downwards in very slow increments, to settle low on Noct's bare abdomen. He held his breath, keeping his hand limp, and waited to see what Noct would do with him next.

It was a long two minutes before Prompto's fingers were dragged downwards over warm, smooth skin, till they bumped into the waistband of his underwear.

"Noct," he uttered, without thinking.

The startled Prince immediately let go of his hand and huddled up, wriggling further away from him.

"…Noct."

" _What_ ," came the irritable grumble.

"…What were you doing?"

"You couldn't tell? Must be even more stupid than you look," Noct spat defensively, burrowing further into the sheets, voice becoming more muffled.

"…You wanted me to get you off?" Prompto asked bluntly, and he listened to Noct's breath hitch in embarrassment.

"…No."

"….Sure seemed like it." Prompto's voice was firm, but kind. He marvelled at how steady his words sounded.

"…Just…wanted to…" Noct trailed off, his stifled breathing sounding pained and distressed.

"…Yeah?" the blond encouraged gently.

"Wanted to imagine...what it'd be like," came a hoarse whisper, and what looked like an apathetic shrug. "If you ever put your hands…Gods, just _forget_ it," he hissed with finality.

There followed a long pause, punctuated by very little except squawking seagulls and the distant whoosh of waves.

"…I can't do it, Noct," Prompto finally murmured.

A thick, damp swallow and an annoyed sigh. "Right."

"But not because-"

"Leave it."

"Noct, come on, let me ex-"

" _Leave it_!" Noct yelled, nearly deafening in the pre-dawn hush. He scooted as far away from the blond as he could, tutting miserably. Not to be defeated, Prompto followed him across the mattress, and hooked him in his arm once more, giving him a sound, noisy kiss to the back of his head.

"Don't sulk, your Highness. Doesn't suit you."

"Get out of my bed."

"Noct, quit being a brat, I-"

" _Out_."

Throwing up his hands in surrender, Prompto yanked back the covers and skulked back into his own bed, which felt almost unnaturally cold.

"You're an idiot," he groused, turning away from the belligerent Prince, his elfin features contorted into ugly anger.

On the other side of the room, Noctis didn't reply.


	6. Chapter 6

_Iggy and Gladio to the rescue!_ o(≧▽≦)o

* * *

Rubbing his eyes, Prompto was surprised that he felt so rested upon waking. Well aware of the awkwardness of the previous night, he glanced cautiously across to Noct's bed, only to see that it was unmade and empty. The door to the en-suite was open, and no sounds came from within. This likely meant only one thing, and it wasn't good.

Noct was _up early_.

Checking his phone, Prompto discovered that it was barely 7am. Nobody had come to the room to wake them, and he hadn't heard any alarms from Noct's own phone, so he could only surmise that sleeplessness had driven the Prince to evacuate his bed so early without provocation.

Therefore, Noct was probably not only still troubled by what he'd done last night, but also sleep-deprived, and if that was the case, the rest of them were going to be in for a world of pain.

Taking a very deep breath and sighing out a long, calming exhale, the blond exited his deliciously-comfortable bed into the chilly air of the room. He proceeded to wash and get dressed, trying not to fret too much about what he was going to say when he saw his friend. Focussing his attention on the swollen dark clouds in the sky, looking ready to burst, he swept hair gel into his quiff with a few practised movements, and put on his game face.

Prompto was making his way out into the main building cautiously, not particularly wanting to bump into any saccharine-smiled staff wishing him a good morning. However, there was almost nobody to be seen. A young man who couldn't have been more than seventeen was sweeping the floor of the dining room, and a pretty brunette was tapping away at the computer by the central cooking hub. Neither of them paid him much attention. There didn't appear to be any other guests…at least, none who were requiring breakfast yet.

Trotting outside and onto the morning-damp pier, Prompto scratched his head and pulled his phone from his jeans, tapping through to Noct's message log (by far the longest he had on his phone), and feeling a bit miffed that there was no fresh contact from him. He had half-expected some abusive or embittered texts, but the screen remained inactive.

He leaned on the wooden rail, trying to decide what to type, his cobalt eyes distant and his chin resting in one palm. Healthy-looking seagulls were wheeling, making mournful keening sounds that were abruptly offset by a distant, threatening grumble of thunder.

Prompto yelped and nearly dropped his phone into the still ocean when it abruptly beeped and vibrated in his hand. Stepping away from the railing and holding it extra tightly, he read his new message, heart still racing from surprise.

It seemed that he had been the last to awaken.

' _We are all near the fishing spot by the cliffs. Noct too. Need to talk. – Ignis.'_

Ignis always signed himself off in texts, which usually made Prompto smirk, but right now his stomach was wrenching at the thought of what this conversation might entail. He was bound to get told off – that was nothing new – but in fact, he hadn't actually done anything wrong, right? In fact, he'd been a gentleman.

It then occurred to him that it might not have _anything_ to do with that– after all, Noctis was unlikely to have gone running to Iggy to complain that he had been rejected in bed. When he pooled his ideas of all the other things that he might be due a lecture for, he got a little dizzy with the sheer number of options, and wisely decided to ignore that entire line of thought.

Staring around him, he nibbled upon his bottom lip.

" _What_ cliffs? Place is surrounded by 'em," he mumbled to himself.

It was only after he had rather sheepishly asked directions at the tackle shop on the beach, that he was pointed towards some rather ominous looking sheer cliffs to his left, with soft green hills leading down to a rocky seafront.

Trudging across the empty beach, he rounded the curve of the bay until he saw Ignis and Gladio sitting atop a grassy swathe of land, just before it fell steeply away into treacherous, black-looking rockpools. He raised a hand in greeting, flinching at the same time at a deafening crack of thunder that exploded somewhere near the horizon, amidst the bruise-coloured clouds.

Trotting to the older men, he clambered up beside them, glad that there was a large recess in the damp cliff behind them. It would house them all should it start to rain, which seemed imminent at this point.

"Morning," Ignis said, and Gladio grunted a greeting too, though his attention was mostly on the book he was reading. Ignis looked like he had been editing his recipe notes, his pretty handwriting meaning that even his mistakes looked elegant in his expensive notebook.

"Hey…Is Noct…okay?" Prompto asked, biting his lip and pointing out to where his friend was distantly standing on a rickety-looking deck, rod in hand.

"He woke us up and insisted on doing some early fishing. Naturally, we were concerned. There are very few fish native to this area that proliferate at this time in the morning, and also – not to put too fine a point on it – our Prince isn't overly fond of getting out of bed for anything less than a fire in the building."

"…Right," Prompto said feebly, scratching the back of his head. "I think he's mad at me."

"Did you have a fight?" Gladio asked, putting his book temporarily aside after turning down the corner of the page.

"No, just a…kind of…misunderstanding."

Ignis and Gladio glanced at each other. The strategist adjusted his glasses with one gloved hand, and fixed his cool gaze upon the blond.

"Did you mention Lady Lunafreya?"

"Uh, no? What's she got to do with it?" Prompto queried, frowning.

"Never mind. Prompto, when you joined the Guard…did anyone ever…I suppose 'school' is the wrong word…did they ever offer you any advice on…personal matters to do with Noct?"

"Huh? I guess not? I mean, I think they assumed I already knew everything about him 'cos I was his best friend."

"I see." Ignis and Gladio exchanged wordless looks once more.

"Guys, I am _totally_ confused," Prom complained, sighing. He cast an exasperated look out at Noct, who had forgone wearing a jacket, and looked freezing. He hadn't caught anything. Seeing that Ignis and Gladio were about to swap another mute expression, he groaned miserably.

"Quit doing that, if you're gonna kick me out then do it already. I know they only let me join so they could watch me crash and burn."

"Nobody's firing you, kid," Gladio assured him.

"It seems as though you might be a teensy bit behind with…the Prince's current affairs, shall we say," Ignis told him. "It might surprise you to learn, for example, that our Noctis is quite the romantic type? Indeed, his enforced marriage is one of the things that has caused him the most…difficulty with his royal duties."

Prompto felt this information was going way over his head, but he half-nodded, half-shrugged.

"But he's marrying Lady Luna. So it's all good, right?"

There followed an awkward pause.

"He does love her, right?" Prompto asked.

"…Like a sister maybe," Gladio muttered.

"But she's so pretty, and nice, and they were kids together, yeah?"

"That's not…quite enough, in this case," Ignis said delicately.

"…I have no idea what you're talking about," Prompto surrendered.

"We can't tell you ourselves, kid. But try and get it from Noct," Gladio told him kindly.

"Ugh, fine. And don't call me kid," the blond sulked. "But you know he's totally in a huff with me."

"You must know by now that the Prince's defence mechanisms are sulking and fishing," Ignis pointed out. "Barriers that can be easily overcome."

"Better go rescue him anyway," Gladio muttered. "Before the idiot gets struck by lightning," he smirked, gesturing at the distant thunderclouds.

"I don't know what to say," Prompto wheedled.

"Trust us," Gladio assured him. "We're a little more informed than you. And Iggy here might seem like a cold fish, but he knows as well as I do what things are like when you get two dumb kids in love."

Prompto stared at him open-mouthed, then frowned at Ignis, who was gazing back at him with serene seriousness. He made a sound as if to start arguing with Gladio's sentiment, but found that, in all honesty, he couldn't really contest it.

The fact was, he had fallen for his best friend some time ago.

"…..Don't call me kid," he finally mumbled, turning to make his way down the grassy slope, toward the windswept, stony shoreline.

It was only as he drew near to the Prince that it occurred to him that Gladio had been speaking in plural.


	7. Chapter 7

Skidding down the grassy mound, Prompto picked his way across the short, rocky beach, bridging deep troughs where the sea was trapped, foaming and bubbling. Glancing back, he noted that the older men were ostensibly not paying him attention, apparently deep in conversation.

With a nervous sigh that was interrupted like a chokehold by an explosion of distant thunder, he hurried to the rickety deck where Noctis stood shivering, facing out to the restless grey sea. His presence must have been obvious as he cleared his throat, and his boots caused the wood to creak tellingly behind the Prince.

"It's, uh…not exactly the best weather for it," he offered, laughing awkwardly. He had to raise his voice a little over the background whistle of strengthening sea breezes and turbulent wavelets.

"Hmm."

Prompto stepped a little closer, frowning at the stark goosebumps on Noct's pale arms, dampened with cold sea spray.

"You wanna…go somewhere warm?"

"I'm fine," came the flat reply.

Starting to shiver a little himself, Prompto folded his arms and cleared his throat again.

"I…kinda got you a present."

Noctis paused noticeably, before slowly reeling again, eyes distant. "…It's me who should apologise." His quiet voice was almost stolen away by a sudden strong gust of wind, buffeting them both and making them wince.

"I'm not apologising exactly…I guess I just kinda saw it and thought of you," the blond shrugged, reaching into his pocket for the small gift.

Intrigued, Noct reeled his line in completely and put his rod down on the splintery deck.

Eyes down, Prompto handed the little trinket over. Noctis held it up, stared, and then to Prompto's everlasting delight and relief, laughed warmly.

"Saw it and thought of _yourself_ , more like," the Prince teased, poking his friend with the Poppeck yellow chocobo lure. "It's your twin."

"Man, you are just jealous of my hair's altitude. Yours is totally flat," Prompto countered, grinning.

Noct nodded, and put the lure away with his others, a small smile on his face.

"Not gonna try it out?" the blond asked.

"…There aren't any fish here," Noctis admitted. "I already knew that, though."

"Look-"

"I'm sorry," Noctis mumbled. "I was…out of order."

"It's okay, dude. But listen, you gotta let me explain to you or I'll just explode," Prompto chuckled.

Noctis laughed softly.

"If you-"

A vicious, deafening thunderclap caused them to instinctively duck down, and they stared as a neon vein of icy-blue lightning pierced the ocean in the distance. They could hear the faraway fuzzy hiss of rainclouds bursting over the sea, and Prompto took action.

"Come on, it'd be really uncool to die here," he told him. Grabbing Noct's hand, he dragged him back towards the relative shelter of the cliffs, at a slight tangent to where they had left Ignis and Gladio.

"I _can_ walk, you know," Noct complained, pulling his hand from Prompto's and striding ahead. Less than two seconds later, he slipped on a slick rock and crashed quite impressively into a shallow rockpool, swearing extensively as he floundered in the cold water.

"Yeah, sure you can," Prompto was giggling, as he hauled him from the chilled seawater and gave him a brief hug, which was accepted, but with no small amount of grumbling. The blond led him, without complaint this time, up a staggered series of hillocks that ended in a flat rocky ledge decorated with long-dead, spindly trees. Noctis was unimpressed at their new open-air shelter, until Prompto squeezed behind one of the trees and into a recess in the cliff that he hadn't noticed.

"Wow…" Noct mumbled, as he followed the blond into the shallow cave, not deep enough to be very dark, but still fairly gloomy within. He sat beside Prompto, who had plonked down with a gratified sigh on the dry floor, his back against the rugged rock wall. Within moments of them getting as comfortable as they could, an apocalyptic hiss of rain indicated that the deluge had reached them, and they stared out at the staggering curtain of water that was crashing down on the beach. The dead trees outside began to drop branches and twigs broken by the punching, cold raindrops.

"Hope Iggy and Gladio are okay!" Prompto laughed, having to raise his voice considerably above the noise of the downpour.

Noctis nodded, his teeth chattering. He clenched his fists and his jaw, trying to ease the tremors of cold. Closing his eyes in brief thanks when he felt Prompto's arm around him, he nevertheless tensed up even further at the contact.

"…It's okay if I do this?" the blond asked, rubbing his back soothingly.

Nodding gratefully, the Prince nibbled his bottom lip, indigo eyes on the musty cave floor and his own soaked boots as he decided what to say first.

"…You don't need to explain anything. I know you're not into…that."

"Into what?"

"…Well…me," Noctis shrugged, his pale skin roaring into abrupt blushes. "I royally screwed up. I already told Iggy you'll probably want to leave the group now so…you know, I'll take the responsibility for that. It won't go against you at all."

Prompto gaped at him. " _Leave_? Why would I do that? You're my best friend."

"Yeah, exactly. I _was_. And now it's all gone to hell," Noctis muttered bitterly.

"…You have…no idea what an idiot you sound," Prompto replied, astounding the Prince by chuckling.

"I'm not an idiot," Noctis spat. "They both told me. _Warned_ me. And they knew something was up when I booked the room yesterday. Gave me the 'we-told-you-so' talk this morning."

"…Iggy and Gladio warned you?"

"Yeah. Before we even left on this trip. Before you even joined the Guard," Noctis admitted, voice breaking. "That it was a ridiculous, selfish idea, and I was going to…"

"…What?" Prompto asked gently.

"...You know…lose you."

"Oh, Noct," the blonde sighed. "You doofus. You think I don't like you? That I'm gonna abandon you just because you like…uh…just so I'm clear, what _do_ you like?"

"Well, I…I've never really…thought much about _any_ of it. Until, you know…"

"You're gonna have to tell me, Your Highness, I'm not a mind-reader," Prom chuckled, giving him a playful nudge.

"…It _was_ selfish," Noct muttered, deflecting slightly. "I just wanted to have you around."

"…And then I surprised you by being an _awesome_ fighter," Prompto grinned.

Noctis huffed a small laugh, then his expression sobered again. "…I wasn't going to get you to... _actually_ touch me last night," he mumbled, his dark hair an attractive contrast to the stark pink of his cheekbones.

"…It was a bit of a surprise," the blond confessed. They both flinched at another explosion of thunder outside, and the strengthening hiss of freezing rain upon rock, ocean and flattened grass.

"…And since you're always flirting with girls, I dunno…I was being dumb to even consider it."

"I flirt with _everyone_ , Noct. Including you, or hadn't you noticed?" Prompto asked, smirking.

"That's why I don't take it seriously. Besides, you already told me that when you goof around, it's not how you really feel."

"Yeah, I did say that." Prompto nodded, his smile fading. "But all this…I wouldn't be here if I was just kidding around. I'm kinda putting my life on the line for you, Noct. I understand that I'm here to protect you, and I might get killed doing it. I _know_ that. And I'm fine with it. Trust me, it doesn't much more serious than that," he laughed.

"…Yeah. Thanks, Prom." Noct nodded. "…I don't think I've thanked you properly before."

"My pleasure," the blond told him, giving him a one-armed hug. "…So…was it the magic massage?" he winked.

Noct abruptly flushed again, looking down and scratching his head distractedly. "It…had some effects," he said very quietly, barely audible above the rainstorm, which was now abruptly easing off as quickly as it had started. "Sorry."

"Don't be sorry. I jerked off so hard afterwards I nearly passed out."

The Prince aspirated sharply and choked, coughing hard and his wide eyes watering, and Prompto laughed warmly as he pounded him on the back to help him breathe again.

"Yeah, you were moaning and squirming and sayin' my name… _so_ hot, dude," the blond continued, pleased by the Prince's answering groan of embarrassment and undying blush. The brief but violent rainstorm finally spattered into quiescence, the rain ceasing and the winds dying down, though thunder still gurgled in the grey sky outside.

" _Gods_ , Prom…"

"Yeah, it was a bit like that," Prompto chuckled, flashing a bright, smug grin.

"You're…actually serious?"

"Cross my heart and hope to cry."

"…No way."

"Way. Seriously, Noct…I'll just come out and say it. You know I'm not one for beating around the bush. You're gonna be King, and you could order me to die for you. But I love you, so I'd do it anyway."

The gobsmacked Prince was startled to feel a tear roll down his cheek, and he knuckled it away swiftly. If Prompto noticed it, he didn't say anything, but he did nuzzle affectionately into the side of his head, giving him another squeeze.

"…I…uh…I think…look, could I kiss you?" Noctis asked, voice hoarse as he swallowed thickly, turning to look at Prompto's bright, open face.

The blond flashed a grin like the sun, and pushed a confident hand into Noct's soft black hair, gently angling the Prince into a prime kissing position.

" _There_ you two are!"

Ignis tutted as he crouched in the cave's entrance, peering inside, holding an umbrella aloft even though the rainstorm had now abated.

"It's safe to come out now. I think we've all had enough of swimming for one morning," the advisor quipped, as he eyed the chilly-looking pair huddled against the wall, with Prompto holding Noctis close.

"Uh, right!" Prompto nodded brightly, getting up with a small groan and leading the way from the cave, Noctis following silently behind him.

As they passed him, Ignis caught sight of the blush on his Prince's pale face, and allowed himself a small, indulgent smile.


	8. Chapter 8

"Prompto, one moment," Ignis halted the younger man, resting one gloved hand upon his bare shoulder as he was following the Prince over storm-drenched scree.

"I think we…patched it up," the blond reassured him, as Gladio loomed into the background.

"You've now instigated relations with Noctis?" Ignis pressed.

"No! Not… _no_ , not exactly…we just… _Gods_ , you're both gonna have to tell me exactly what you need me to know. But not now - I don't like going behind Noct's back and talking like this. Once I've made sure he's okay, we can chat," Prompto told them firmly, before quickly bounding over slippery, ragged rocks to catch up with the Prince, who had paused and was looking back for him.

"It looks like the crisis we were waiting for may be far more underwhelming than expected," Ignis mused, watching the younger men exchange a few words and then wander off together towards the pier.

"You could be right," Gladio nodded. "Wonder if we're gonna be booking two rooms as standard now."

"Hm, a slight downside. Not to mention the communal tent…though I suspect that we needn't worry too much about…"

"About them screwing in front of us?" Gladio grinned.

"…I was going to say 'improper activities.' But I suppose you have the gist of it." Ignis tutted, though there was an aristocratic smile on his face.

"Damn right."

"…Fancy a coffee?"

"Always."

* * *

"Everything okay?" Noct asked, rubbing his eyes as Prompto ran up to him, grinning widely.

"Yeah, everything's cool."

"It's probably quicker and less…weird if _I_ tell you the whole 'situation,'" the Prince offered, shrugging slightly in embarrassment.

"If you want to talk, I'll always listen," the blond assured him, giving him a playful little right hook to the arm.

"But the thing is…if I don't get to bed soon, I'm going to actually die," Noctis told him dramatically, and in all seriousness.

"…I take it you mean to sleep, you lazy nerd. Come on, let's get you tucked in," Prompto giggled.

* * *

Noctis sat heavily on the edge of his bed, scrubbing his eyes with one hand and trying to unlace his boots with the other, all whilst yawning massively. Outside the large windows, a stiff breeze was chasing away the remnants of the sudden, violent rainstorm, spattering random moisture against the glass.

"You are some kind of mess, Noct," Prompto grinned, kneeling before him and helping his with his heavy boots, hauling them off and chucking them aside. "Into bed then."

"Never again," the Prince was lamenting, his pale face contorted into theatrical anguish and a hand over his eyes as he fell back on the bed.

"I would applaud your acting skills if you were actually acting," his friend teased, poking him in the knee. "Right, I'm off to get breakfast. See you later."

"Wait, what?" Noctis' indigo eyes opened and fixed upon him with endearing confusion.

Prompto shrugged. "Once I'm up, I'm up. I'm not tired at all. So sleep well, y'Highness."

"But what about…" Noctis frowned, then flushed, and then shook his head, dispersing the spontaneous thought.

"Hm?"

"…Well...I thought you would maybe try and, you know…Unless you don't want to, that's cool," Noct was muttering, voice getting quieter as he turned and started peeling back the cool bedcovers.

"You have _seriously_ gotta work on your speech, dude. Like, use words. Tell me what you're thinking," Prompto chuckled, his nose crinkling sweetly in amusement.

"…A kiss."

"Ohhh, like a goodnight kiss? I guess I could do that," Prompto nodded beatifically, before giggling again, the freckles on his cheeks crinkling into new constellations as he grinned. "Even if it is barely 8am."

"…You were going to. Before Ignis…"

"Barged in, yeah," Prompto laughed. He alighted upon the edge of Noct's bed as the Prince paused halfway between the mattress and indecency. "Oh…sorry, you wanna get undressed? I'll totally make myself scarce."

"Nah, just…just get it over with," Noct muttered, his usual pout downturned even further into discomfort.

"…Dude, I won't do it if you don't want it!" Prompto exclaimed, holding up both hands in supplication.

"I do! Just…Dunno what…haven't really done it. Well…once, I suppose," Noct pondered aloud, his features creased in consternation.

"Do tell," Prompto spoke softly, scooting a bit closer and resting his hand upon the hard fist that his friend was clenching unconsciously into the bedsheets.

"Iris kissed me once. It was awful."

The grimace on Noct's face was enough to make Prompto cackle. "Was it all drool and sweet nothings?"

"I was sixteen. I just remember she pounced and…it was just hands and…flowery smelling stuff and…wet."

"So, could've been worse," Prompto nudged him, winking.

"I wouldn't know. _You're_ the one who's been with people," Noctis hissed, far more bitterly than he'd intended.

"I'm not a slut just because I've had more experience than you," Prompto rolled his eyes, somewhat defensively.

"I didn't…say that."

"But you think it. Are you jealous of me because you wish you'd done more with people?"

"No, I'm jealous of _them_ because I wish I'd been your first," Noct spat, before his indigo eyes closed in anxious recognition, and he sighed weakly at the shock of his own admission. "…Shit," he added feebly.

Prompto stated at him, mouth open, for a few seconds, then practically deflated with compassion, his voice cracking. "…Oh Noct…you big softie, why didn't you say anything?"

"Like what? We talk don't about important stuff, we just goof around. And most guys don't wanna know that their best friend is…whatever."

"…You do realise that _everybody_ knows that I'm silly about you, right?"

"…And the whole Palace knows that you're kind of my unspoken Princess," Noctis managed to laugh, though he found himself curiously torn between choking on amusement and choking on tears.

"So the two people in the world who _need_ to know, don't."

"Seems so."

"…We're idiots."

"Yeah."

"Totally."

" _Totally_ ," Noct nodded in agreement, knuckling the threat of moisture from his eyes roughly before he embarrassed himself any further.

"…You better not start calling me Princess," the blond warned him conspiratorially.

Noct sobbed out a quick, cathartic laugh, giving his friend a fond punch in the arm as he sniffed and sighed.

"I didn't say you had the job yet," he teased him.

"We'll see," Prompto winked back at him, before he became quiet. There was a short, introverted vacuum of expression as both men quietly considered the actual impossibility of such an arrangement. Regardless of either of their feelings, duty dictated that Noctis marry a woman and maintain the bloodline as well as international relations and a stable throne.

"…Anyway…let's not…think about that right now," Noct muttered, sensing that his friend's maudlin reflections were mirroring his own.

"Yeah," Prompto agreed, looking down and fidgeting with his hands.

"And I'm gonna kiss you," Noctis added, though his words ended with an uncertain, questioning tone.

"Please do. Before you pass out from lack of sleep," Prompto needled him affectionately, grinning at him.

Noctis nodded firmly, and then swooped in hard, both men making faint sounds of pain as their teeth bumped. Trying to salvage the kiss, the Prince nibbled and sucked hurriedly at Prom's lower lip, his strong hands questing blindly into the other man.

"W-woah, easy tiger," the blond laughed, pulling back and halting Noctis, who was frowning at the interruption, his pale cheeks stained red as if with some delicate ink.

"What?" Noctis glowered, indigo eyes flicking possessively and impatiently towards his friend's mouth.

"Slow down, there's no rush."

"But-"

"Shh," Prompto soothed him, allowing himself one last little giggle before he cupped Noct's angular jaw, thumbing it gently. "Foreplay's meant to take time."

Noctis spluttered and sighed in discomfiture at the implication. "Prom!"

"Kidding, kidding!" the blond grinned, stroking through Noct's silky hair, and finally, blessedly, pressing his mouth to the Prince's.

Noctis replied with a breathless gasp, his exhale dampening Prompto's lips, which he swiftly reclaimed in a firm, sucking kiss. Allowing it, the photographer suckled back, taking up the challenge and refusing to back down when Noct's tongue boldly entered the fray, licking and probing into his mouth. The Prince's hands were groping indiscriminately at his waist, and long, sweet-smelling black hair was tickling his nose.

Prompto pulled back once more, and prudently used two fingers to sweep aside the Prince's long fringe. He chuckled in shock as Noctis bullied forward once more, trying for another aggressive kiss, his hands dragging down Prompto's hips to knead hungrily at his thighs and his eyes dark and intense.

"Noct, stop," Prompto wheezed, his lips tingling, and he licked them appreciatively, feeling quite dizzy from the Prince's overenthusiastic, biting kisses.

"Did you like that?" Noctis asked, licking his own reddened lips and looking quite vampirish as he did so.

The blond pulled a thoughtful face. "Could've been worse," he reasoned.

"Hey!"

Prompto chuckled again at his friend, the conundrum. For all of Noct's inexperience and introversion, he had an equal amount of pride bordering on arrogance, which needed to be appeased now and then. Prom didn't tend to indulge him. On this occasion, however…

"It was perfect," he said simply.

Noct opened his mouth to retort, apparently expecting more mockery, but he relaxed and offered his own small, smug grin.

"Yeah, it was, wasn't it."

"You totally need some practice though. I wasn't counting on getting a lip piercing."

Noct growled and lunged playfully at him. With a manic chuckle, Prompto was on his feet and sprinting from the outraged Prince, hastening from the room and slamming the door behind him.

It wasn't long before his phone beeped and shuddered with a new message alert. It was Noct.

' _~You're gonna pay for that, Princess.~'_


	9. Chapter 9

Prompto caught up with Gladio in the quiet restaurant, where the taller man was leaning against a table and smirking as Ignis interrogated the pretty blonde woman at the central island.

"Gee, do you think Iggy is gonna get lucky?" the photographer queried, grinning.

"I think he's more interested in the contents of her pantry than her pants," Gladio responded, chuckling as Ignis pointed at one of the gas fires and mimed a larger flame. "How's it going with his Highness, kid? I mean - Prom?"

"Good!" the blond beamed, his face crinkled happily. "He's asleep."

"Well, that goes without saying," Gladio snorted.

Ignis approached them, eyeing their shared amusement cautiously. "I hope nobody has any objection to omelettes for breakfast?"

"Not me!" Prompto grinned.

"You've cheered up," Ignis noted, smiling beneficently.

"What can you do, the kid's in love," Gladio shrugged.

Prompto stuck his tongue out childishly at the older man, before stomping off to secure them all a table.

They were finally sitting to eat, Prompto having bounded back over to the server to ask politely if she would make another portion for him to give to Noctis when he awoke.

"Good thinking, Prompto. Omelettes taste just as fine served cold as when served hot," Ignis had noted approvingly.

Gladio had just laughed. "If you start waiting on him now, you'll be doing it forever."

"Come on, I'm just trying to be nice," Prompto shrugged, though he had secretly preened a little at the thought of 'forever.' He pushed a forkful of omelette into his mouth before he spoke again, which caused Ignis to tut at his bad manners.

"I don't believe you, you know. All this 'we always knew you and Noct would get it on' stuff."

Ignis choked a little, as Gladio laughed. "It's true."

"But I'm just…a nobody," the blond shrugged, chewing thoughtfully.

"You do yourself a great disservice," Ignis told him, as he delicately cut through his omelette. "…Don't let Noctis know that we told you this, but…have you ever wondered why he sleeps so much?"

Prompto goggled at the random question, before chuckling. "Because he's a lazy brat?"

Gladio smiled gently, before replying. "When he was younger…like, twelve, thirteen…he was really down in the dumps..."

"Clinically depressed," Ignis corrected him.

"…And he told us, much later on, he preferred sleeping to being awake because it meant he could stop thinking for a while. Didn't have to deal with the world."

Prompto stared at the two older men, dumbstruck. "But…that's so sad!"

"Indeed," Ignis agreed laconically. "These days, however, he sleeps so much because…"

"…He's a lazy brat," Gladio finished, smirking.

"And I suspect his body clock is permanently skewed now. Anyway, he spent his early teenage years ricocheting between anger, disdain, sadness and fear at the duties he was to perform as heir. After a while, it mellowed into a sort of mute, if unhappy, acceptance," Ignis continued, taking a dainty bite of his breakfast. "But even before you, we had an inkling that his future marriage, in particular, might not be as simple an affair as may be expected."

"What do you mean?"Prompto asked, intrigued.

Ignis actually blushed. "Let's just say that there were a few concrete indications that he might be less interested in females than the average teenage boy."

"…Wow," the blond exclaimed, frowning in faint awe as he pondered the possibilities briefly. "But…what's that got to do with me?"

"He was suddenly happy again. Smiled for the first time in years. Wouldn't stop talking about you and got all embarrassed when he did," Gladio told him, scooping a hefty portion of egg into his mouth.

"He didn't have close relationships with anybody prior to you introducing yourself. No friends, certainly," Ignis shrugged. "Though I suspect that was just as much down to other people's reticence to approach him, as Noct's own shyness."

Prompto nodded mutely, before Gladio addressed him. "If you think you might wanna…you know, get together with Noct – you should know that the whole Palace, including Noct's dad, knew this day would come eventually. And in hundreds of years of the family's reign, don't think he's the first to bat for the home team, if you know what I mean."

"I guess that's…a relief?" Prompto mused, wide-eyed.

"We're glad it's you," Ignis said simply, gifting him with a small smile.

"Yeah, you're a good kid. We've been keeping an eye," Gladio winked.

Prompto laughed awkwardly, feeling the place under his skin burn fiercely with blushes. "What's it gonna take to get you to stop calling me 'kid?'"

"Dunno…a lifetime supply of Cup Noodles and Ebony might do it," Gladio pondered, shrugging his muscled, feather-inked shoulders.

Ignis nudged him in playful warning, before turning his attention back to the photographer. "And naturally, I trust that you will do right by your Prince, whatever may precipitate between you."

"I love him," Prompto said with an almost surprising absence of fanfare, his cobalt eyes calm and his voice unshaken. The only hint of the younger man's own surprise at his admission, was a quiet bob of his slim throat as he gulped.

"…Glad to hear it," Gladio smiled, and Ignis nodded in agreement.

* * *

An hour later, they were discussing the nocturnal hunts on offer at the Quay over green tea. Prompto was shielding his eyes from a particularly eye-watering lance of morning sunlight that was angled right into his face, when he peered at Gladio, who was pointing over his shoulder.

"Sleeping Beauty's up."

The blond turned, beaming, as Noctis skulked towards them with a quick wave and a wry smile, his black jacket not in evidence. His pale skin was already glowing from the tumultuous heat that had flared up again from nowhere and was sizzling the cool sea outside.

"Hey," the Prince said simply, giving Prompto's quiff a quick, messy ruffle as he passed, before sliding into the booth beside him, bouncing a little on the soft leather seats.

"Ack, not the hair! Jerk," the blond tutted fondly, trying to reconstruct his gelled hair.

Noctis ignored him, though he smiled to himself, retrieving the omelette that was wrapped, ready-to-eat on the table beside the photographer. "For me? You shouldn't have."

"You're right, I shouldn't," Prompto sighed, giving him a quick jab in the bicep.

Noctis tucked in without a word, half-listening as Ignis and Gladio filled him in on some lucrative hunts that were based nearby, if he was willing to stay another night in order to vanquish the nocturnal fiends.

"Sounds good," the Prince replied, munching happily on his omelette. "This is nice…what's in it?" he asked the group in general, scooping another big bite into his mouth.

"Onion, asparagus, potato," Ignis smiled, folding his hands elegantly and preparing to extol the virtues of the omelette further if required.

Noctis frowned, blanching, and speared a piece of the omelette on his fork to peer at it. "…Vegetables?"

"They would usually be considered vegetables, yes," Ignis nodded.

Seeing Noctis pout, Prompto laughed sweetly. "Dude, you just said it was nice. Eat it."

"…Hm," the Prince grunted, before grudgingly continuing his breakfast.

* * *

They were all digesting, and quietly rejoicing in the brisk sea breezes and newly-clear, pinkish sky when Prompto felt himself poked sharply in the thigh underneath the table. Glancing sidelong at Noctis, who was still engaged in one-handed fiddling with his mobile phone, he wondered what the problem was. Before he could question the engrossed Prince, his hand was snatched, squeezed, and held warmly, out of sight beneath the cool pine table.

Chewing back a happy grin with some difficulty, he rubbed his thumb across Noct's skin, and gave him a quick squeeze back.


	10. Chapter 10

"Come on, you. You owe me some quality time," Noctis instructed the photographer, as they vacated the dining booth. They left Gladio and Ignis in intense discussion over a messy map of the local area that had been scribbled on, for better or worse, by the staff at the seaside hotel.

"Me?! You're the one sleeping away the day. Come to think of it, you didn't really sleep that long…. Why? Didn't you need a nap after getting up at ass o'clock in the morning?"

"Is that what six AM is?" Noctis chuckled.

"Definitely. And don't think you have the monopoly on sleep around here, man. _I'm_ due a nap after all this stress," Prompto complained.

"Well, you let me know when and I'll come and keep you warm," the Prince drawled in what he hoped was a flirtatious tone.

"…You need to work on your pick-up lines, Noct," Prom chuckled fondly, after a beat of silence.

They walked leisurely across the beach, scuffing through fine, sun-warmed sand in a slow meander towards the haven on the other side of the area, sheltered by cool, windy cliffs and bordered by tunnel-deep caves.

"Oh, hey," Noctis suddenly said, bending down and picking something small from its half-buried position in the shingle. Dusting it free of soft sand, he handed in to Prompto. "A present for you."

The blond took the star-shaped seashell and cooed at its iridescent, blue-purple sheen. "Awesome! Thanks, dude," he told him honestly.

Noctis laughed gently. "Really? I just picked it off the floor."

"Sure! It's really pretty!" Prompto nodded, grinning openly.

"I could kiss you," the Prince told him out of the blue, shifting his cool indigo gaze to his best friend's mouth.

"Uh…maybe not here," the blond replied cautiously, with a nervous laugh, glancing back at the long beach behind them, scanning for witnesses.

"I don't think anybody cares," Noctis shrugged, looking back and eyeing the small groups of tourists coolly.

"Still, better to be safe than sorry, dude. How about over there?" he asked, pointing to where a low cave in the living rock curved inward.

"For what?"

"Kissing, idiot! And you, know…whatever," Prompto blushed, scratching at his head self-consciously.

"…'Whatever.' Might be fun," Noctis acknowledged, smirking. He hooked his fingers very briefly into the curl of Prompto's palm in a tiny hand-hold, and then stalked off towards the low cavern.

Prompto took a deep breath, feeling quite hopelessly enamoured, and followed swiftly.

* * *

It occurred to Prompto that at least there were worse places to be, when the urge to stare at Noctis' mouth struck, than a breezy, secluded cave. It was a lot harder to do surreptitiously when in company, when the soft dark spikes of the Prince's hair seemed to be directing his attention straight to those pale, pretty lips, mapping out various tasty-looking trails down clear skin towards the prize of his mouth, soft lips set in a firm expression.

"You know, there's one big downside to sleeping," Noctis was saying. "Prom…you listening? You're spacing out on me."

The photographer snapped out of his reverie with a few blinks, clearing his throat. "Sorry, dude. What was that?"

"…I was gonna say that the only bad thing about sleeping is having less time to spend with my favourite bimbo," Noct teased.

"Bimbo?! I _always_ did better in school than you, man," Prompto laughed.

"On the track, maybe."

"On the track, in the classroom, you name it," Prom replied with a raised eyebrow.

"I had other things to think about. Princely stuff."

"Yeah right. You were just daydreaming about me," Prompto chuckled. Noctis snorted, but didn't disagree.

They were wandering through the shallow cave system, the cool rock above their heads faintly damp and glistening. The air smelled sweetly salty and stagnant, almost tasting of the algae and marine slime that festooned the slick cave walls.

"You never did explain about why you didn't want to…you know, touch me in bed," Noctis said very quietly, trying hard not to sound as if that particular subject had been troubling him non-stop.

"I did want to," Prompto assured him quickly. "But I thought…you were just horny, you know. Just needed a hand."

"…So what's the problem?"

"The problem, dummy, is that I'm crazy about you. And if you gave me that part of you without it meaning anything, I think I'd die a little inside."

Noct slowly stopped walking, crossing his arms and swallowing as he frowned and pondered this statement. Prompto paused too, looking uncertainly at him.

"What is it? Oh," Prompto managed to moan, before Noctis seized him in a fierce kiss, almost knocking him over. Staggering to keep them both upright, Prompto dug his boots into the damp sand and pushed back eagerly, sinking into the kiss with a fervour that matched the fiery attentions of the Prince.

"You can have it if you still want it," Noctis growled, nipping and sucking at Prompto's gasping mouth repeatedly, revelling in the tight little groans that the blond was making against his lips.

"Mm…def…definitely," Prompto acceded, retaliating to every biting kiss with a sharp squeeze of Noct's backside, which he pulled forward in tandem so the other man's excited hips bumped eagerly against his own.

" _Prom_ ," Noct hissed, trying to back the other man up against the damp cave wall, but the blond resisting his force with playful giggles.

"Keep saying my name," Prom muttered, rocking his hips against Noctis, sighing helplessly at the feel of the Prince's stiff arousal against his own.

"…Earn it," Noctis growled back, finally managing to overbalance the blond and bundle him down onto the sand with a dual gasp of flattened lungs.

"With pleasure," Prompto smirked, adeptly rolling them, pinning Noctis on his back in the cool sand, watching him squirm and scowl at his newfound vulnerability.

"Prom!"

"That's better, your Highness," the photographer chuckled, his elfin features appearing fiendish in his glee, before he leaned down and captured Noct's complaining mouth once more.


	11. Chapter 11

"Stop…Prom, stop," Noctis muttered, panting.

To his credit, the blond immediately pulled back, loosening his grip upon the Prince's slender wrists.

"Did I go too far?" he asked, anxiously.

"N…No, it's just…I'm a bit…" Noctis trailed off, his eyes averted and his cheekbones flushed.

Prompto pressed him, worried. "A bit what?"

"…A bit close," Noctis admitted, sighing in embarrassment.

"Close?… _Ohh_ …right," Prompto nodded, smiling in relief before pausing. "…Really?"

"Don't laugh at me," Noctis snapped, frowning and wriggling in annoyance, half-heartedly trying to break free again.

"I'm not! It's…actually really hot," the blond confessed. "Do you wanna…stop, then, or…" he shrugged, biting his bottom lip.

"…Bit slower maybe," Noct asked quietly.

"Can do," Prompto grinned, releasing Noctis' wrists and smoothing his dark hair away from his face gently. "Hang on."

Noctis panicked as the slim blond stood up, and abruptly trotted away towards the mouth of the tunnel.

"Prom?" he called after him, his fearful voice echoing slightly amidst the damp cave walls. To his great relief, Prompto returned, gave him a quick, reassuring smooch, and spoke brightly. "Nobody's near. I don't think we'll get caught," he chuckled.

"Don't scare me like that," the Prince muttered self-consciously, sitting up and fidgeting as he tried to anticipate his friend's next action.

"I'm not going anywhere," Prompto told him firmly, kissing him once more, brief and tender. He pulled back only far enough to speak against Noct's mouth, his lips and excited exhales tickling his skin. "…Gonna use my mouth on you. Is that okay?"

Noctis nearly choked on his own gasp, seething out, " _Gods_ …I…" and then going silent, struggling to comprehend this turn of events.

Ever observant, Prompto shook his head in immediate apology. "I'm sorry, that was too much...We can just kiss? I don't have to touch you."

"Uh…look, just…gimme a minute to think," Noctis murmured, distracted by his racing heartbeat and stinging blushes.

"'Course," Prom answered, sitting beside him and taking a slight breather himself, his pale eyelids closing briefly, shuttering bright blue eyes.

"…If you used your mouth…" Noctis began, after a minute's quiescence broken only by slightly ragged breathing and the eternal whoosh of warm waves somewhere in the unseen distance.

"Mm-hm?"

"…Well, I mean…do you know how?" the Prince asked awkwardly, quite uncertain as to what, at this juncture, would insult Prompto more – assuming he had no experience, assuming he had an awful lot, or just bailing out entirely from the situation.

"I've…done it before," Prompto told him quietly.

Noctis gaped at him, disbelieving. "With a guy?"

Prompto laughed softly at the redundant question. "Yeah, obviously."

"But…" the Prince frowned. "Who? I mean…" Noctis couldn't find it in himself to disguise his displeasure, and his features narrowed and downturned as he contemplated Prompto's history.

The blond winced, and hesitated, before speaking quickly. "Look, Noct, I'll tell you the whole story later. 'Kay? It hasn't got a happy ending, though," he added, his pretty face flickering with despondency at the memory.

Noctis guiltily let the insistent, blood-hot throb between his legs take priority over his concern, at least for the moment, and opened his arms, silently beckoning the blond in for a kiss.

With a tentative sigh of relief at the temporary respite, Prompto engaged his best friend in a deep yet chaste kiss, his arms hugging the other man forcefully, his eyes watering slightly beneath tightly closed lids.

"…Won't take long," Noctis muttered, lowering himself down with one hand , scraping through sea-dark sand as he lay back, respiration ramping up and his heartbeat panicking him with its fervour as Prompto groaned illustriously and began to grope him through the thick black fabric of his trousers.

The Prince gazed through hooded eyes at the strong, flexing hand that was caressing him with knowledgeable strokes, a palm that cupped him and fingerprints that pinched and pulled perfectly.

"You can do it. What you said before," Noctis permitted, undoing his flies tentatively, his face burning with embarrassment and anticipation.

"My mouth? Sure thing," Prompto nodded, his eyes bright, his lips parted and his fair freckles vanished amongst ripe blushes. "…Oh, shit," he cursed, a rare occurrence, as he tugged at Noct's waistband with as much restraint as he could summon, and gently pulled him out, swallowing hungrily at the heat of the solid shaft and the pearl of pleasure that beaded at its tip.

"Gods, it's gorgeous," he muttered, before hurriedly grasping its base, squeezing slightly, and sinking his mouth over the burning tip, sucking enthusiastically.

Noct keened hoarsely, seeing stars as he threw his head back and simultaneously thrust deep into Prompto's tight throat, one hand fisting painfully in blond hair as he abruptly began to climax.

The photographer, red-faced and with eyes streaming, bravely swallowed and allowed himself to be used, gagging once but soon gulping down the sudden and unexpected rush of hot pleasure that squirted into his mouth. He groaned in discomfort as Noctis thrust a few more times, bruising his throat and pulling sharply at his hair, but endured, and only pulled off when the lack of air was causing his vision to blur and his chest to hurt.

Wiping his mouth and his eyes, he swallowed a few more times, and grinned wanly at the sight and sound of Noct coming down from his orgasm, grunting and shivering, his indigo eyes shut tight.

"Ah, Prom…oh…shit," Noctis was wheezing, licking his lips repeatedly and twitching with aftershocks.

Prompto took advantage of the Prince's weakness to sit beside him, snuggling into him affectionately.

"Was that, uh…your first time?" he asked the brunette, who was still breathing strenuously, and shakily knuckling dampness from his hairline.

"Mmm," Noctis replied softly, blowing out one long, tired exhale. "…That was…really something."

Prompto guessed that now was not the time to make jokes about either speed or gentleness, so he hummed in agreement, and nobly ignored his own (somewhat deflated) erection. He massaged his throat as subtly as he could as he watched Noctis finally calm down, the Prince's eyes opening tiredly and staring up at the cool, rocky tunnel ceiling as he tucked himself away again.

"Oh," the brunette exclaimed suddenly, sitting up with rather clumsy movements and nudging closer to Prompto. "I'll do something for you now."

"You don't have to," the blond grinned, shaking his head.

"I want to," Noctis insisted, frowning. "Unless you…changed your mind?" he asked, his suspicious tone ghosted by worry of being rejected almost as soon as they had begun.

"We can. But…maybe back in the hotel?" Prompto asked, tilting his head and chuckling. "Not being funny, but your hands are covered in sand and if you touch me with them, I'm gonna be scraped raw."

"Oh…right, yeah," Noctis nodded, distantly thankful that he hadn't gone with his first instinct, which was to just shove a hand into Prom's jeans and get to work.

"Plus I wanna be able to kiss you, and I doubt you'll let me right now."

Noctis pondered this for a second, embarrassingly slow on the uptake. "… _Oh_ …right, of course. Did I…do it right?"

"I think it's me that should be asking that," Prompto replied, sweetly red-faced and a little hoarse.

"But did I?" Noct pressed.

"You did everything you were supposed to," the blonde smirked.

Not quite satisfied with that answer, Noctis nodded nevertheless, and stood up with a small groan at his overworked muscles and slightly giddy head. Extending one gritty hand, he pulled Prompto to his feet too.

With an odd glance at his friend's mouth, Noct planted one hesitant, experimental kiss upon his high cheekbone, and then another, more lingering, on the corner of his lips. With a calculating glance, Noctis finally pushed his mouth onto Prom's, insistently probing for access.

Exploring his friend's mouth, teasing his tongue and cautiously licking, he was oddly disappointed to find hardly any trace of himself there, just the barest hint of musk.

Prompto pulled back, well aware of what Noct was doing, and grinned dirtily. "Pervert."

"Yeah," Noctis admitted, shrugging, but his pale cheeks aglow. Brushing himself down with ostensible calmness, he started striding off toward the breezy tunnel entrance, beckoning the photographer to follow him.

"Come on, blondie. It's your turn."


	12. Chapter 12

After postponing it admirably for a few minutes, Prompto finally surrendered to a coughing fit as they approached the long pier, sun-drenched and breezy. He waved off Noctis' concern, spluttering, as the Prince kept trying to ask him if he was alright. He was finally recovering when Noct grabbed his hand supportively, and he regretfully had to shake it off.

"Not here, dude, someone will see," Prompto wheezed.

"I don't care," Noctis huffed, crossing his arms.

"You will when it's all over the Internet," the blond reasoned.

Pouting impressively, Noctis stood his ground. "I care about _you_."

Prompto met his glare, blue eyes bright and a new smile beaming. "I know, dude. And I love you. But I think it's best if…we keep it to ourselves for now?"

The Prince pondered this whilst shrugging belligerently. "Hm …our secret?"

"Something like that."

"…Everyone knows that I feel the same as…as what you just said."

"…The same?"

"Yeah, I mean…I, uh…you know."

Prompto chuckled warmly. "Not really, dude, but I can deal with that," he assured the Prince, flashing a sunny grin as they mounted the steps onto the pier, side-stepping to avoid a few groups of tourists.

"I care about you," Noctis repeated firmly, his indigo eyes deceptively cold as his face reddened and his pale throat bobbed with a swallow. "A lot."

"Oh…Noct," Prom sighed helplessly, oblivious to the toddlers that bumped against him even as their parents tried to steer them aside. "…Honestly?"

"Yeah. Now kiss me, I'm a Prince." Noctis smoothed down his dark fringe with ostensible confidence, clearing his throat.

"…Should put that on a T-shirt," Prompto giggled, his strong fingers fidgeting with restraint. "But seriously, no. Don't be reckless, you'll regret it."

Indignant at being told what to do, Noctis stared at Prompto as the blond carried on down the sun-baked pier, scratching his quiff self-consciously. Following him in silence, Noctis pondered the sort of punishment he could mete out for this transgression.

* * *

They stumbled together into the hotel room, fingers and mouths vaguely and repeatedly connected, excited exhales fuelled by sucking, airless kisses.

"Tell me…tell me," Noct groaned in a wheezy baritone, biting his best friend's bottom lip hungrily as he kicked the door shut behind him.

"Nh…wha-what?" the blonde whispered back in harsh desperation, strong hands sliding under the Prince's black shirt, rummaging hastily at ribs and hips and shoulderblades.

"Tell me 'bout him," Noct seethed, nipping fiercely upon the gunner's freckled jaw, licking roughly up his cheek, nuzzling into coarse blond hair.

"Gods, Noct, not now!" Prom whined, panting, his hands leaving Noctis' lithe body as he rushed to the blinds across the vast window, hurriedly closing them, but cursing when he saw that the room was still considerably sunny, warm dust motes tumbling everywhere at the disruption.

"Hell are you doing?" Noctis asked, ripping off his own black T-shirt and catching up with Prompto, tugging at his tank top roughly, trying to get him to do the same.

"It's a bit…bright," Prompto shrugged, relenting as he found himself muffled by the top that was being pulled over his head, and no sooner could he see again than pale fingers were fiddling impatiently with his belt. "Wait a bit, Noct!"

"No. Now," the Prince declared flatly, yanking open his friend's flies and trying to peel them apart when his hands were shooed away.

"I don't want you to go off like a firework again," Prom tried to reason, and he knew he'd made a mistake when the brunette's proud indigo gaze hardened at him.

"…I wasn't good enough?"

"I didn't say that, you know that's not what I meant! But we can take our time," the blond attempted to soothe him.

"…Do you wanna have sex?"

"…Maybe not…'full' sex…" Prompto murmured. "Look, I haven't done it before, I'm a bit…well…nervous. We can do something else, we've got all the time in the world."

"You know that's not true," Noct said pointedly.

"That's not what…ugh, fine. Let's just…carry on." Prom silenced any further complaints by kissing Noctis hard, whilst simultaneously groping his backside with both hands.

"Mm…naked, though," Noct insisted against busy lips, and his friend paused.

"I'm not so hot with…how I look, you know," Prompto admitted quietly.

"I'm pretty hot about how you look, though. Please?"

It was rare that Noctis asked for anything so politely, and whilst Prompto was aware that this was a deliberate tactic on the Prince's part, he couldn't help but be charmed, and indeed, swayed, by that one simple word.

"Fine," Prompto murmured, taking a step back and proceeding to undress himself completely, kicking away boots and jeans and underwear, the self-conscious blush stoking his freckled skin traversing down a slim throat and across his muscled chest. Still not making eye contact, he crossed his arms awkwardly across his body, enduring Noct's silent stare.

"You look…absolutely…" The Prince eventually began.

"…Messed up, I know," Prom muttered, sighing and fidgeting as he glanced hopefully towards the bed, and particularly, the bedcovers under which he soon hoped to be sequestered.

"I was gonna say 'incredible,'" Noctis told him with a small smile, taking Prompto's narrow chin in one hand and tilting his face upwards, though irritable eyes refused to meet his, instead glaring at the ground. The Prince placated him further with a series of small, tender pecks, before stepping back himself.

"Undress me?"

"…I can't tell if you're being romantic or just lazy," Prompto sniggered, finally meeting his warm gaze and feeling relieved at the apparent lack of judgement or disgust. "Take off your boots and lay down."

Noctis, quietly relieved, did as he was requested and soon settled back on the bed, the plump, cool pillows propped up behind him. He revelled in the sight of the lean body that advanced sinuously to join him, the ways in which never-before-seen skin and muscle moved and flexed and _lived_.

He groaned when strong, slightly calloused hands undid his trousers, the zip buzzing loudly in the serene heat of the hotel room. He couldn't help but sigh and thrill at the sight of Prompto easing the fabric over the solid bulge of his crotch, before carefully, shakily doing the same with the warm, slightly damp fabric of his dark underwear, completely removing both items and sliding them off of the bed. The blond bit his lip in delight as he ran his thumb experimentally across Noct's slit, smearing his slippery pre-come around in playful circles.

"Not too much," the Prince warned, reluctant to admit that he was once again dangerously close to coming, but knowing that Prompto would do his best to avoid that unfortunate eventuality. The photographer nodded, giving him an affectionate wink, before scooting up to lay beside him, curling into his body and kissing him soundly.

"What do ya wanna do?" Prom whispered, pecking him on the tip of his nose before smoothing one hand over his chest, feeling the rapid thud of his heart, and rewarding him with a slow tweak of one dark nipple. Noctis winced in pleasure, panting. "Uh…that," he instructed, causing the blond to giggle in response and plant his mouth over the stiffening nipple, sucking gently and running his tongue over the nub. He had the wherewithal to notice Noct moving his hand to start to stroke himself off, and he swiftly grabbed the offending wrist, giving a little nip to the swollen bud in his mouth as a lesson. The tight sigh it elicited was delicious.

"…Sit on me," Noct muttered, rummaging his rogue hand into Prompto's thick hair.

Prompto paused, and gulped worriedly. "You mean, like…"

"Not like _that_. Just…here, so we can…" he mumbled vaguely, patting his thighs and trailing off into expectant, breathless quiet.

The blond nodded, and swiftly swung one leg across the Prince, mounting his thighs and nudging forward with wide eyes and parted lips until their members bumped, causing dual hisses of novel, shocked pleasure. They both stared at their cocks, which bobbed and pulsed enticingly against each other, and Noctis tentatively gripped them both together for a brief squeeze, making Prompto's head fall back, his long throat stretched.

Noctis moaned to himself as he remembered ejaculating inside that throat, thrusting and coming and filling his best friend's mouth with his hot seed, and he found himself rocking once more into his own hand, his shaft sliding and slipping awkwardly against that of the blond.

" _Noct_ ," Prompto keened, grimacing with pleasure. "Feels…ah, _Gods_ …" he sighed, finally opening his sleepy-looking blue eyes and watching as Noctis started to rapidly jerk them both off with trembling, precome-slick fingers.

"M'close," the Prince whispered coarsely, panting, watching as Prompto began to squirm and twitch, leaning forward to plant his damp hands harder against Noct's pink-flushed chest.

With his free hand, Noctis scraped his fingertips down Prompto's long back, roughly bumping the nodules of his spine, until he came to the firm muscle of his backside, which earned him a little squeak of surprise.

Rushing, rambling memories of coming inside Prompto's mouth soon morphed wildly into images of pushing up inside of him right now, feeling his tight, virgin body and pounding out a vicious, conquering climax-

"Fuck, _fuck_!" Noctis yelled, right hand blurring at their pulsing shafts with obscene, juicy sounds, whilst his other probed roughly between the cheeks of Prom's backside, fingering the warm flesh in urgent exploration.

Prompto jolted with shock, both at the sensation of dry fingertips prodding madly against his opening, and at the sudden prize of pearly ejaculate that squirted against his chest and abdomen. Noctis was writhing and sweating and swearing loudly under his weight, making his ears ring and his heart pound in vicarious ecstasy.

The Prince was shivering with delirium and effort, staring woozily up at Prompto, when his probing hand was slapped roughly away and instead planted firmly on the blond's strong thigh.

"Close your eyes I need to come," Prompto hissed quickly, wheezing with exertion, the muscles of his arms and legs and stomach twitching tellingly.

"…What?" Noctis managed, frowning at the request as he glanced down with hazy contemplation at the series of pink and silvery scars that he had just discovered on Prompto's lean thighs and hips.

"Don't watch, I can't….just close 'em dammit!" Prompto spat, his own eyes starting to flicker as his orgasm threatened.

Reluctantly, Noctis acceded, closing his eyes and biting his lip as he twitched out his own aftershocks to the frantic sounds of Prompto masturbating, his voice rising in volume and pitch.

* * *

Ignis and Gladio were approaching the door to their hotel room to drop off some supplies, when a loud moan from the neighbouring suite caught their attention.

"Gods, don't tell me they're at it already," Gladio groaned, whilst Ignis massaged his temples wearily.

"… _Noct, ugh, Noct!"_

There were a few telling thumps and sighs, and a distinct, spectatorial groan of appreciation from Noctis beyond the wall.

Ignis cleared his throat and sighed, irritated by his own blush.

"It begins."


End file.
